The Olympians: The Fall of Kin

Best Laid Plans

Artemis stared at the bandaged bodies of Clarion and Wendigo. They lay in beds, much like she had a few days ago. Third degree burns covered every part of their bodies. Liam and Apollo had done as much as they could, though it wasn't clear if either of them would survive.

She pulled her knees into the reclining chair that leaned against the windowsill beside Clarion's bed, hugging them to her chest. Apollo stood calmly beside her. She wasn't sure why he'd stayed after he'd brought them to a room. He must be exhausted. He'd operated for two days straight on five different patients, including her.

"Why did you help all of us?" Artemis asked the man. His blond hair stuck to his sweated skin, his greenish eyes focused on the people before him, who lay on the beds.

"What?" He asked, as he was drawn from his trance.

"I know you hate us. I see it in your eyes. I can't blame you. But...you've just been remarkably accepting of your fate. You haven't attempted an escape to go back to your people. I suppose I can understand why you might stay, to avoid a fight with us but why go this far for us?"

He looked again at the lives he saved on those beds. "I never knew how alike you Enforcers were to me, you know. And I suppose I had a personal stake in it, considering that the monster is my brother."

Artemis glanced at Devyn. "Wait, you're the br—you're the brother that abandoned him?!" Artemis jumped from her seat and grabbed Apollo by the shirt. "Do you have any idea what you did to him? How fucked up his life was because of you!?"

Apollo scoffed but didn't push her hand away. "I'm aware. But it wasn't my fault. He was caught by you that night. So long ago. You remember when you fought him in Hell's Haven Central Park, right? I remember. I'd been keeping tabs on him since I'd joined Kyn and Adastros' Syndicate. I was going to kill you if you were going to kill Devyn. But when I heard you speaking with him during your battle, I knew you wouldn't. So, I left it at that."

"If you loved him, if you kept tabs on him, then why were you never there for him? You claim to be a pacifist. A pacifist doesn't hurt his own family." She accused.

"Just because I don't kill people anymore doesn't mean I don't screw up sometimes!" He shouted. "I was stupid back then, okay!? And, what the hell does it matter to you anyways?! Huh?"

She released his shirt. "He's my friend, asshole. It matters a helluva lot more to me than it does to you, it seems."

He clenched his fists, turned on his heel, and moved for the door. When he swung it open, he stopped and spoke over his shoulder. "I was going to leave. But, in the last week, many of the things I thought I knew have been challenged. Adastros betrayed me. He could have helped me escape at any time. And yet here I remain. But, if you wanna' know the reason I helped you all, It's because I've come to find out that all I've ever heard about you Enforcers was wrong. You're not human loving psychos that kill your own kind. You're just like me. Fighting for your own beliefs. Your own reasons. You're almost like some kind of deranged family, in a way. It's nice." He sighed. "I'm not sure what your boss plans to do with me when he awakens but I'll make sure I see through any judgement he sees fit. I deserve it."

With that, Apollo quit the room.

Artemis collapsed back into her chair.

"Why'd he have to go and get all emotional there? Makes it hard for me to hate him now. Dumb bastard." She shook that Earth-shattering revelation away.